Graduate Diploma in Interaction Design and Electronic Arts

Overview

This program is the first of its kind in Australia, created to infuse technological innovation with human-centered design thinking. Explore these technologies and their potential to solve critical problems in areas including urban informatics, wearable technology, health and responsive environments. Graduates are highly sought after by UX industry, software development, digital product design and creative industries. Technology is becoming closely interwoven into everyday life. How we create and design these interactions is crucial to their success and the positive impact they have on our lives. This understanding forms the core of the IDEA program's design philosophy: technology that is designed to delight its users. We aim to infuse the latest technological innovation with a human-centred design thinking to solve complex problems. The IDEA program promotes a creative and critical approach, within the framework of research-driven interaction design and user experience methodologies. The result is an understanding of how to design interactive products, services and systems that will have lasting cultural and commercial importance. In a foundation first semester, you will develop the essential industry knowledge and skills for working as an interaction or user experience designer, at ease with web and mobile applications. Once you have these core skills in human-centred design thinking, web/mobile interface design and software programming, you are trained to analyse and evaluate their application in a range of design contexts. This evaluative approach is what enables IDEA students to create meaningful interactive experiences that will become ubiquitous parts of our everyday life. In the second semester, you will engage in design studio projects to extend these skills, both conceptually and technically. We offer a studio-based teaching environment in which you work individually or in teams to creatively solve design challenges. You will learn to design across multiple platforms and scales - from natural, tangible and wearable user interfaces to interactive architecture, creative robotics and urban informatics. Your ideas may even become the basis of prototype products, patents or start-up services. You can adapt this program to suit your interests and passions by taking electives from other faculties. You will also build a compelling design portfolio showcasing not only your design skills but also your understanding of how best to convey the user experience of new products and services. The course is timetabled to suit your busy schedule. Subjects are run either in the evening or in intensive mode (a block series of Fridays and Saturdays). You can also study part-time. The course has embedded qualifications, enabling you to graduate after the foundation first semester with a Graduate Certificate, or continue on to Graduate Diploma or Masters level. For more information on units of study and links to current student work, please visit the M.IDEA program page.

Specialisations

Entry, fees, funding & how to apply

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Your fee

How to apply

Research areas

What you'll study

Unit of Study information on faculty page Study plan Candidates for the Graduate Diploma in Interaction and Digital Media complete 48 credit points (cp) made up of 36 cp of core units of study including 12cp studio units, one optional unit (6cp) and one elective unit (6cp) offered by the faculty, subject to meeting prior learning requirements and timetabling.

Applying for admission

Completion requirement

Capstone (compulsory project)

Assumed knowledge

Applying for honours

Admission requirement

A successful applicant for admission to the Master of Interaction Design and Electronic Arts will have a bachelor's degree. Students enter the program from a wide range of professions including IT, Industrial Design, Fine Arts, Planning, and Humanities.

Course opportunities

Option to combine with

Professional accreditation

Career pathways & prospects

Future study options

Graduate opportunities

Graduates of the Master of Interaction Design and Electronic Arts will become proficient in the creative use of new technologies which they can then utilise in a practical way in a wide range of professional and artistic settings. Areas studied in this course will prepare them to perform in roles such as interaction designer, usability engineer, new media artist or creative director.

Career information for UAC

Domestic students

Indicative Postgraduate Student Contribution Amount

The student contribution amount for a Commonwealth Supported Place is an indication only of the amount payable in Year 1 for a standard full time load of 48 credit points (1.0 EFTSL). The exact student contribution that you pay will depend on the calendar year in which you undertake your study, and the specific units of study in which you ultimately enrol.
For further information about how to calculate your specific total student contribution, please refer to the University's Tuition Fees website.

Annual review and fee increases

Importantly, student contribution amounts are subject to annual review by the University, and will increase each year of your period of study (subject to a Commonwealth specified cap), effective at the start of each calendar year.

Indicative Postgraduate Domestic Tuition Fee

The tuition fee for a domestic postgraduate student is an indication only of the fees payable in Year 1 for a standard full time load of 48 credit points (1.0 EFTSL). Depending on the calendar year in which you undertake your study, and if your study load is more or less than the 1.0 EFTSL, your tuition fee will differ from the indicative amount.

Annual review and fee increase

Importantly, tuition fees are subject to annual review by the University, and will increase each year of your period of study, effective at the start of each calendar year.

Additional incidental costs

For some courses there are incidental costs additional to the student contribution and/or course fee. Some of these incidental costs are significant, for example, course-specific materials, tools, protected clothing and equipment. Further information about these costs is available from https://sydney.edu.au/students/materials-and-equipment.html.

Whilst every reasonable effort has been made to include correct and up to date information here, you are also advised to consult directly with the Student Centre so that they can provide you with specific and up to date information about fees.

International students

Indicative International Tuition Fees for Postgraduate Students

The tuition fee for international postgraduate students is an indication only of the fees payable in Year 1 for a standard full time load of 48 credit points (1.0 EFTSL). Depending on the calendar year in which you undertake your study, and if your study load is more or less than the 1.0 EFTSL, your tuition fee will differ from the indicative amount.

Annual review and fee increases

Importantly, tuition fees are subject to annual review, and will increase each year of your period of study, effective at the start of each calendar year.

Additional incidental costs and health insurance

For some courses there are incidental costs additional to the tuition fees. Some of these incidental costs are significant, for example, course-specific materials, tools, protected clothing, and equipment. Further information about these costs is available from https://sydney.edu.au/students/materials-and-equipment.html.
In addition to the fees indicated here for the course of study, International Students studying on an Australian Student Visa must have appropriate health insurance for the duration of their studies on a Student Visa through an approved provider of the Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) scheme. This is a requirement of the Australian Government, unless otherwise exempted by the Government.

Whilst every reasonable effort has been made to include correct and up to date information here, you are also advised to consult directly with the Student Centre so that they can provide you with specific and up to date information about fees.